Practice Turkey

Unknown

I bought a smallish turkey (just under 9lbs.) to cook on my BGE as sort of a warmup for Thnaksgiving. Any mistakes I make, I wanna make on this one instead of on the big day.[p]What's a good temp and set up to use?[p]I bought the turkey "stand" from BGE so I'll probably go with that unless theres a better idea.[p]Also, based on your experience, what's the biggest turkey you can reasonably squeeze into a BGE?[p]I'm assuming I'll have to pull the dome probe out a bit to prevent it from getting impaled on the beast.[p]Thanks![p]P.S. Go Irish!

Tim M

Skwerl X,
Cook it at 325-350 deg( lower gives a gray rubbery bird) & over a drip pan at least. I use a couple firebricks under the drip pan. I prefer the Vrack over a turkey setter because the setter moves the bird too high in the dome. Be careful that the thermometer tip doesn't touch the bird when the dome is closed.[p]I do only turkey breasts, there are a lot of pictures on my website that might give you some ideas. Good luck[p]
Tim
[ul][li]Tim's[/ul]

Unknown

Tim M,
Thanks for the tip. I have a plate setter and a pizza stone; would they suffice in lieu of bricks?[p]Skwerl

Tim M

Skwerl X,[p]You won't need both. The inverted setter is good with a drip pan under the grid (I still use a Vrack) or the pizza stone under the drip pan on the main grid. I would use the setter. [p]Tim

Unknown

Tim M,[p]I have to disagree about it being gray and rubbery.. I've cooked many a bird at 250-275º and they come out golden in color. The skin might not be crispy, but they sure do look good!

RRP

Skwerl X,
You didn't say what size BGE you're cooking with. Last Thansksgiving I cooked a 26# in my large. It made for a full fit, but no contact with the dome. BTW it was terrific. [p]The issue besides size is about the bird itself. I like to experiment with 6 to 7 # turkey breasts and I don't think I'll ever have any more turkey, unless I have brined it. OTOH I've egged Butterballs before with raves too. You can't go wrong with a BGE and turkey in my book! Good luck!

Unknown

Tim M,
EWW Gray and Rubbery? You have to have it at those temps or you get gray and rubbery results?

Tim M

Scottie,[p]So, you have a ceramic cooker now?[p]I am trying to help those who have and use a ceramic cooker, not giving "ball-park" advice. I am sure your cooking machine did you a fine job at 250, but there are differences.[p]Tim[p]

Tim M

Leon,[p]There have been many reports here over the last 4 years about turkey done at lower temps than I suggested coming out with skin not golden brown and the meat having a rubbery texture rather than the crispy outsides and firm meat. The poster will be using an inverted plate setter with a drip pan. There have been many people posting about lower actual "grid level" temps and just because the dome thermo says 325° that does not mean the lower parts nearest the setter will see that temp and they will probably see lower - much lower. With a dome temp around 250° the meat might see something more like 200° and I think even you will agree that is too low to produce a nice result. I am sure that some styles of cookers will yield a nice result if cooked at 250° but I give advice for people using ceramic cookers - not metal ones. Adding ceramic mass will change the temps the food sees and that is why using higher dome temps is required, or suggested, for better results - in these cookers. Reading other's comments here, for years, has proven that 325-350° works and works very well -- in these cookers when extra ceramic mass is added. I am sure that metal cookers do their job differently but we aren't discussing those here or general cooking theories.[p]Have a wonderful day.[p]Tim

Unknown

Tim M,[p]Not to get into an argument, but what difference is there in 250º in a ceramic cooker and one in another smoker?

char buddy

Skwerl X,[p]I've been practicing on chickens - so I am not sure how well my experience will translate. guess I'll find out in a few weeks. Anyway, this year I intend to cook A smallish turkey on a large BGE on a vertical turkey holder with the legs up and the breast down. I'm going for a long cook - below 250º and I'll stop with the temp in the turkey's thigh get's anywhere above 180º (I may go as high as 190-200º). I expect the skin to be crispy 0 like Peking Duck - because I'w gonna rub under the over the skin with a good quality olive oil - probably flavored with garlic and 'turkey' herbs. If I have the space I will set the turkey on a raised grill. But, again, these are just plans because I have only been practicing on shickens - not turkeys. If the turkey turns out like my chickens, I look forward to moist breast meat, perfect legs, crispy, dark skin, etc.
CB

djm5x9

Scottie:[p]I find that cooking direct on a ceramic cooker at low temperatures can give a nice bird skin texture, something that seems not to happen if done indirect. My experience is that cooking birds indirect on a ceramic cooker can allow for slower dissipation of moisture producing rubbery skin. Thus the properties of ceramic ceramic cooking (moisture retention) work against your expectations for this type of cook.

Shelby

Skwerl X,
I'm a big fan of the practice turkey!
You can easily get a 22+ pound bird in a large BGE...but...you probably won't be able to do so using the vertical roaster. I lay mine directly on the grill over a drip pan; drip pan is on the plate setter.
The leftover pieces parts make a great turkey and sausage gumbo!

Unknown

Tim M,[p]I have a question about using the inverted plate setter. Should you place the plate setter on top of the ceramic ring or should you remove ceramic ring and place the plate setter on top of the fire box?[p]Thanks[p]Mike

Unknown

Darryl,[p]Sounds to me like you need a good injection recipe... :-) Let me know if you haven't tried and/or found a good one. I've been playing with one for a few years, it's not bad. I'm assuming this injection would work in an egg as it does in a pellet cooker and for deep frying... ;-)

Tim M

Mike S,[p]I personally have no reason to ever remove the fire ring except to transport the cooker somewhere and reduce the weight to make it easier to lift. No need to remove anything to clean out the ash either. Just put the setter on the fire ring. Some of my pictures shows the second generation setter that was not large enough to set on the fire ring and you will see it setting on the cooking grid. The new ones allow it to sit on the fire ring and so you don't need another cooking grid.[p]Tim